CUREC & Ethics Procedures

Departmental Research Ethics Policy and Procedures

The University of Oxford is committed to ensuring that its research activities involving human participants are conducted in a way which respects the dignity, rights and welfare of participants, which minimises risk to participants, researchers, and third parties, and the object of which is public benefit.

All research projects, whether being prepared by a member of staff or student, as a funded proposal or an un-funded piece of work, must be accompanied by a CUREC application. 

Forms should be completed electronically and sent to gemma.roche@spi.ox.ac.uk [please note that signed, hard copies are no longer required].

 *   Student completes an electronic application and sends to supervisor
 *   Discussion - possible amendments - final application approved
 *   Supervisor sends in the electronic application

All applicants should download a DREC Checklist from WEBLEARN.  The checklist will advise as to whether you need only submit the checklist or should go on to complete further forms.  Please refer to the Central University's Research Ethics Committee [CUREC] guideline pages www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/sitemap.shtml for downloadable, up-to-date CUREC 1a, 1 and 2 forms and general advice.

All ethical clearance applications are reviewed by the Department's Research Ethics Committee [DREC].  All CUREC 2 applications are also sent [by the DREC] to the Social Sciences InterDivisional Research Ethics Committee [IDREC] for further assessment and final approval.  Please note that the ethical clearance process can take several weeks at DREC level and a further 6 weeks at IDREC level.  Please ensure that your applications are timely as full ethics approval must be in place before research starts.

Outline procedure [please see DREC flowchart [WEBLEARN] for full details]:

DREC CHECKLIST ►CUREC 1a ► CUREC 1 ► CUREC 2

Protocols for general use can be downloaded from the main CUREC website.

Protocols with specific relevance to the Department can be downloaded from WEBLEARN.